After a two year hiatus, the leaders of the U.S., Canada and Mexico are set to  meet for a trilateral summit. While the push for further North American  integration continues incrementally, at this time, it is unlikely that  discussions will yield any grand new initiatives that involve the participation  of all three NAFTA partners. Instead, the meeting could be used to build off of  bilateral discussions already underway. This includes negotiations between the  U.S. and Canada on a North American Security perimeter deal designed to  accelerate the flow of people and goods across the border.

In an article  from several months back, Robert Pastor, who has been a leading proponent of  continental integration, emphasized that Obama's  jobs strategy should be a North American one. He explained how the U.S. can  expand trade faster by focusing on its neighbours and also pointed out that few  Americans realize just how dependent the U.S. is on Canada and Mexico. In order  to facilitate this approach, Pastor recommended, “We should eliminate  restrictive ‘rules of origin,’ which add a tax as high as the tariff that was  eliminated by NAFTA, and combine, rather than duplicate, customs' forms,  personnel and frequent-traveler programs.” He also called on President Obama to, “expand his infrastructure fund to be a North American one, with contributions  from all three countries.” Pastor went on to say, “The leaders of each nation  should then instruct their transportation ministers to develop a North American  plan for transportation and infrastructure that would include another trade  corridor from the busiest transit point in Windsor, Ontario, to southern  Mexico.” This sounds a lot like plans for a NAFTA superhighway.

In his  op-ed, Robert Pastor also stated, “In 2009, the three leaders of North America  pledged to meet the next year, but that still hasn't happened. Obama should  invite his counterparts to address the full North American agenda, beginning  with a strategy to lift the continent's economy and then addressing  transportation, immigration, education and borders. The goal should be to forge  a North American community.” Pastor may have gotten part of his wish as  President Barack Obama will host the North  American Leaders Summit in Honolulu, Hawaii on November 13, 2011 which will  include the participation of Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Mexican  President Felipe Calderon. The meeting is expected to focus on economic, energy,  environmental and security issues. The setting could also provide an excellent  opportunity for the U.S. and Canada to release an action plan that stems from bilateral  trade and security perimeter talks that were launched back in February. Both  countries could also further discuss the pending Keystone  XL oil pipeline which would span from western Canada to Texas. President  Obama has now indicated that a final decision on the project may not take place  until sometime next year.

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